A hearty welcome to all! May we make the most of each day before God. Let's pick up in Proverbs 6. For commentary on verses 1-5, search "Oct 06".

"6 Go to the ant, you lazy one; Observe its ways and become wise. 7 Although it has no commander, officer, or ruler, 8 It prepares its food in the summer, And it gathers its food supplies in the harvest. 9 How long, you lazy one, will you lie there? When will you rise up from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumbering, A little folding of the hands to rest, 11 And your poverty will come like a bandit, And your want like an armed man."

Prov 6:6 What wisdom God used in His astounding creative works! We're instructed to examine the ways of the ant, and become wise, industrious, rather than remaining lazy. It has been found that young persons have become lazy when they are praised for their knowledge, rather than for putting that knowledge to work for the benefit of others. That is where commendation is appropriate, when a youth uses knowledge, talents, and abilities to work good toward others. Also, "by knowledge the righteous are rescued." Sharing our knowledge with others to help them in some important way may also be commendable. But may such commendation not go to our head--it is God who gives us our talents and abilities, and helps us use them for the benefit of others. He is the One who "makes all his works cooperate together for the good of those who love God." So may God receive our rightful praise and loving appreciation. Let's continue looking at the ant:

Prov 6:7,8 The ant needs no one to constantly tell him what to do--he instinctively knows his job and purpose, and wisely proceeds to work the benefit of the colony. Likewise, we may know what needs to be done--we shouldn't need to be told constantly what we need to do, or only work hard when someone is watching us--Jehovah sees and can help us have the wisdom we need to set proper goals and to use our time efficiently, working productively.

Prov 6:9-11 If we have no schedule, to-do list, or goals to achieve for the day, if we have not wisely looked ahead at planned activities and considered how long each activity should take and scheduled each one into our limited time for the day, we may not be motivated to accomplish the tasks we were wishing to get done. We may linger in bed, viewing some tasks as too daunting to accomplish. Perhaps at least the day or night before we should, not worry, but give thought to the tasks for the next day we would like to achieve, determine how they are to be done, and the time they should take. Schedule them into your day, plan a time for at least some of them--perhaps the most important ones. Become a planner--wisely looking ahead for the results of our decisions and activities. This is an aspect of divine wisdom called shrewdness, or foresighted prudence, looking ahead at consequences and wisely acting accordingly. (Prov 22:3).

Psal 47 (Book 2, 6th psalm) Notice the honor due Jehovah God, in Psal 47:1,2: "All you peoples, clap your hands. Shout in triumph to God with joyful cries. 2 For Jehovah the Most High is awe-inspiring; He is the great King over all the earth." Psal 47:7-9 continues: "For God is King of all the earth; Sing praises, and show insight. 8 God has become King over the nations. God sits on his holy throne. 9 The leaders of the peoples have gathered together With the people of the God of Abraham. For the rulers of the earth belong to God." May we give Jehovah the rightful praise He deserves, and pray for His divine intervention in man's affairs through His Kingdom, to bring untold blessings to humanity.

Jesus takes considerable time in his Sermon on the Mount, to help us not be seeking our own glory or the praise of others as motivation for what we do. Rather, we should be seeking God's honor, and His pleasure in what we do. In Matt 6:1,2 he says: "Take care not to practice your righteousness in front of men to be noticed by them; otherwise you will have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full." We have the reward from Jehovah when we make our gifts in secret, so that only Jehovah and perhaps angels see what we do. As verse 4 says: "Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you."